Standards for revalidating doctors

In order to retain their licence to practise, doctors will need to demonstrate to the GMC that they are up to date and fit to practice.

This will involve providing supporting information to show that they are practising in accordance with the generic standards set by the GMC (as described in Good Medical Practice) and any relevant specialty standards set by the medical Royal Colleges and Faculties.

A single process

When the Government published its proposals for revalidation in 2007, it divided revalidation into two elements - relicensing (which would apply to all doctors) and recertification (which would apply additionally to doctors on the GP and Specialist Register).

Under the original proposals, doctors on the GP and Specialist Register in addition to meeting the generic standards required for relicensing would also have to demonstrate that they were meeting the particular standards relevant to their specialty or general practice.

Since the publication of these, considerable work has been undertaken to develop the standards and processes to support both elements of revalidation. This work has involved the GMC, the medical Royal Colleges and Faculties, specialist associations and others.

As a result of this work, we have concluded that revalidation will be simpler, more effective and more efficient if it operates as a single set of processes rather than as the two separate strands of relicensing and recertification that were originally envisaged.

Appraisal and revalidation

Revalidation will be based on local appraisal systems. The GMC has developed a framework for appraisal and assessment based on Good Medical Practice. In addition specialty-specific standards for appraisal have been developed for GPs and doctors working in a range of specialties.

Have your say

From 1 March - 4 June 2010 we are consulting on our proposals for the way in which revalidation will be introduced.

As part of this we will be seeking feedback on the standards for appraising and revalidating doctors and on our proposals that revalidation should be based on a single set of processes.

Please visit our revalidation consultation pages, or email thewayahead@gmc-uk.org for further information.